Ken Johnson, threw a no-hitter and lost, dies at age 82

Ken Johnson, the only major league pitcher to throw a nine-inning no-hitter yet lose, died Saturday in Pineville, Louisiana, at the age of 82.

I had the honor of interviewing Johnson on May 2014 as I was just beginning to write Baseball’s No-Hit Wonders. He talked with me about that April 23, 1964 Houston Colt .45’s game against the Cincinnati Reds at Colt Stadium, in which he threw nine innings of no-hit ball yet lost 1-0.

The Reds clawed for that run on a ninth-inning bunt attempt by Pete Rose in which Johnson threw the ball into the outfield (it apparently wasn’t taboo to bunt to break up a no-no back then). After Rose advanced to third on a ground out, Vada Pinson stepped to the plate and hit a routine two-out grounder to second that was booted by Nellie Fox, allowing Rose to score.

The game remains the only nine-inning no-hitter lost by a single pitcher. The Orioles tandem of Steve Barber and Stu Miller duplicated the feat three years later.

Johnson seemed touched that someone still wanted to talk at length about that game.

“I can’t believe anyone still remembers,” Johnson told me.

We do remember, and we mourn the loss of a kind and generous man.

Memorial services are planned for Tuesday evening at New Life Community Church in Alexandria. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the church.

Author: Dirk Lammers

Dirk Lammers is a veteran journalist who began rooting for the New York Mets in the early-1970s when the team’s no no-hitter count was barely 2,000 games old. Lammers has since turned his research into Baseball’s No-Hit Wonders: More Than a Century of Pitching’s Greatest Feats (Unbridled Books).

“Like the book’s subject, Baseball’s No-Hit Wonders is full of intrigue, suspense and just enough random good fortune to go down in history. In revisiting the unforgettable and revealing the forgotten, Dirk Lammers deals a quirky treasure for baseball lovers.”

Jon SpringerAuthor of Mets by the Numbers

“In “Baseball’s No-Hit Wonders,” Lammers takes a topic that might seem narrowly focused and opens it up with all sorts of interesting angles.”

Ross AtkinsChristian Science Monitor

“… delightfully written … story after fascinating story about the most compelling characters and unlikely events.”

Matt SutherlandForeword Reviews ★★★★★

“… an exuberant romp through the history of one of baseball’s most impressive achievements.”

Paul HagenMLB.com

“I do think you have a winning idea. This is a book that should sell. Bo Belinsky was my favorite, followed by Don Larsen, and the only one I saw in person, Bob Forsch.”

W.P. KinsellaAuthor of Shoeless Joe, adapted into "Field of Dreams"

“I loved reading about all of the no-hitters. There are a lot of things that I had no idea about, like “Hooks” Wiltse also losing his perfect game in the ninth inning but saving his no-hitter. Even if you do not know anything about baseball, this is a great book about the great history of the game.”

Milt PappasMLB pitcher 1957-1973 ('72 no-no)

“Never have so many no-nos inspired such resounding yes-yeses! A baseball research book with a sense of humor—novel concept.”

“This volume is the complete – and I mean fully complete – story of the no-hit games in the long history of Major league Baseball, and it will serve as the place to look if one wonders why baseball makes such a big deal of no-hit games. With prodigious research, Lammers has produced not just the bare bones of each no-hit game but adds to each game story the little and telling details that are so alluring.”

Fay VincentFormer MLB commissioner, foreword writer

“It’s fantastic. My kinda baseball book. Just the right combo of pure stats, information, obscure history and incisive commentary. I know I’ll be going back to it often for reference (and, hey, maybe a song or 2!).”

Steve WynnMusician, The Baseball Project, The Dream Syndicate

“… a fascinating book that will appeal to both the historian and the die-hard fan.”

Jeff AyersThe Associated Press

“As an official scorer, I’m aware of the tension and drama when a pitcher takes a no-hitter into the later innings. In Baseball’s No-Hit Wonders, Dirk Lammers has captured this drama and added to it with insights and analysis for those who achieved this honor. Mixed in with fun facts about more than 100 years of no-hitters, Baseball’s No-Hit Wonders is entertaining and enlightening.”

Stew ThornleyMLB Official Scorer for Minnesota Twins games

Most recent no-nos

There have been 299 no-hitters in MLB history, with the last thrown 8 months,13 days ago.